I am sometimes so thankful for modern technology, as it
allows us to stay in contact with friends and loved ones like no other medium
can.
My ancestors had to make do with writing letters that could
take up to three months or more to reach their recipients, especially when
writing “home” from a new country.
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| A loving father signs off a letter to his daughter in 1859 |
I enjoy my phone as it gives me instant contact with people,
a real-time communication that is ALMOST as good as actually being with the
person.
This morning I have spent time chatting with a
sister-in-law, my youngest son, and a good friend, and have been able to
message with my daughter in America.
Not much housework got done though!
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| Receiving a letter must have been such an event (1915) |
Our sweetpeas are in full bloom and smell heavenly when one
goes out the back door. I have picked
several bunches for the house – they look pretty in their vases, but picking
the flowers also stops the plants from putting all their energy into seed
setting instead of flower production.
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| Who doesn't love having flowers in the house? |
Have an awesome day 😊
Margaret.
It must have been a day for not doing housework. I spent too much time on the phone chatting with distant friends then my daughter dropped by after work. Tomorrow I'll be more productive.
ReplyDeleteI love Sweet Peas but don't have much luck growing them.
I came to New Zealand in 1965 and contact with my parents was by aerogram. Prior to my father's death in 1985 I used to phone him once a month and book a 3 minute call as calls were so expensive. If only my parents were still alive it would be so much easier.
ReplyDeleteLetters had a mytery about them - the envelop with stamps and markings from foreign places, evidence of handling, sometimes in that flimsy airmail paper, handwritten addresses. Tipping the letter out and the anticipation of tales of travels, family, scenes... My grandparents travelled around Aus for two years in the 1970s (Dad's brother emigrated there at about the same time) when the farm couldn't support us all (end of subsidies) and wrote us a letter every week. Word pictures of an Australia that even many Australians never see. We wrote back a - every week. When i left home in 1979, the family tradition of a letter a week to (and from) my parents continued, even after email took over in mid-90s (altho i admit that took away so much of the anticipation of the post) right up until my Mum died last year. That life-time of a weekly hour of employment in writing a personal exchange of descriptive prose, honing the essence of the weeks events, places, feelings, humour, ended there. These days we publish stuff for anyone who wants to read it, or we telephone/skype/zoom call the personal stuff (and i wouldn't go back from telephones, I've got no argument with you there). However, even in this world, there is still a place in our mental health for the time it takes to exchange hand-written personal letters. (And guess what? They can't be trolled.)
ReplyDeleteI mostly message (not talk) with my daughter several times a week, but still send her a weekly email. Instant delivery! But I do remember when my mother used to write me a letter each week and how much I looked forward to the mail arriving :)
DeleteI remember those good old days. A letter could take a week or 3 weeks. A phone call home cost so much it wasn't an option and anyway a good time here was 4am in NZ.
ReplyDeleteMy life changed with emails and now with instant communication I feel part of the family again.
Beautiful sweetpeas!
My mother-in-law used to use a timer for all her toll calls as they were so expensive. You had to talk to her very fast!
DeleteI think letters still are the bees knees, I know we have technology and our cellphones, yes great for keeping in contact with people but can't really beat real mail.
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid I no longer write 'real' letters but I do remember the excitement of receiving a family letter, many years ago now :)
DeleteI had an american pen pal in my teens. When we were both 16, and I was such a young 16, very innocent, she told me she was engaged, soon to be married. I was out of my depth - I couldn't relate. End of penfriendship. But, yes, great excitement getting letters, birthday and Christmas cards. If I get a letter now, I get a bit nervous as it's always something official.
ReplyDeleteWould love to smell those sweet peas.
ReplyDeleteI owe my Scottish penfriend a letter, but she reads the blog so gets to see what I've been doing
I still like receiving mail :) - nothing beats a letter, but the phone is certainly an asset :)
ReplyDeleteSweet Peas are one of my favourite flowers, but I have not planted any this year due to the impending move..
Stay safe
Blessings
Maxine
I have promised myself I will sort my memory box, it's huge and full, I will enjoy looking at cards and letters, loads from my dear mum, nothing beats a letter or card as a keepsake.
ReplyDeleteTrue, Marlene. It is a bit hard to store an email or text message as a keepsake.
DeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteI can't remember the last time I received a handwritten letter. I love the photo, she does look happy with the letter, maybe good news! Your flowers are beautiful. Take care, enjoy your day! Wishing you a happy weekend!
In the album, the photo has been titled "news from the front" so I guess she was happy to receive news.
DeleteTalk to your daughter. The housework will wait. If she lives in the United States she is probably filled with angst right now.
ReplyDeleteNo worries David. Living in a country that is not her own, she is very careful to avoid anything political.
DeleteWe would love flowers in the house. But our allergies will not allow it. -sigh-
ReplyDelete✨💛✨🔥✨
My oldest friend and I still exchange hand written letters although we send each other immediate news by email, too. I love seeing one of those letters in the letter box and delay the pleasure of opening it until I've made a cuppa and made myself comfortable and then enjoy every word. My most precious letter which I read on her birthday every year was from my grandmother with a recent photo of her. It arrived a few hours after I received the word that she had died. That letter really helped me cope with her death. I associate sweet peas with her memory, she always grew them.
ReplyDeleteThat is a very touching story about your grandmother. I would feel the same way you do if that had happened to me, and really treasure that letter.
DeleteWe’ve come a long way with technology. It has changed our lives in many positive ways.
ReplyDelete